Kidnapped Again!
by bemj11
Summary: Peach and Anna are out having a lovely picnic. Then comes a strange dream, and Bowser tries to kidnap Peach again. Kammy is up to no good, and Kamek...is Kamek.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the wonderful world of Nintendo, video games, or the Mario universe.

**Chapter One**

It was another beautiful day, and Peach was going out into the countryside to have a picnic with Anna, the Magikoopa. She really did enjoy Anna's company, for she was usually cheerful and talkative, but not annoyingly so.

They had decided that morning that since the sun was shining, the sky was blue, and not a cloud was in sight, they would have a picnic. It would be a chance to sit back and relax, and a break from all the worries involved in running and protecting a kingdom.

And so they strolled out into the countryside, and found a lovely place under a tree where they could sit. There were flowers all over the place, birds were singing, butterflies were flitting about, and Peach was feeling guilty for not letting Toad come.

"He really does worry about me too much." Peach said. "I told him we would be fine, and to enjoy his day off. But you saw how unhappy he was."

"He takes his job seriously." Anna pointed out. "And it's more than just a job to him. He's known you for years."

"Practically all my life." Peach said.

"And he knows that Bowser is always trying to capture you when you least expect it." Anna added, though neither one of them needed reminding of that.

Peach frowned. "I know. But still, he deserves a day off once in a while, now doesn't he?"

"Of course." Anna agreed. "I told him I'd take care of you."

"What did he say?" Peach asked.

"He asked how." Anna replied with a laugh. "So I told him that I'd blast anybody who came after you."

"What'd he say to that?"

"He asked what I'd do if Kammy or Bowser himself came. And I said I transform myself to look like you, and while they thought I was you, you could escape. Then I'd just wait till they weren't looking, change back to normal, and slip off."

Peach laughed. "Glad you've thought this through."

Anna shrugged. "I hadn't until he asked me. Then I had to say something, and it seemed like it would work."

"You think so?"

"Maybe."

The two ate their picnic lunch, and stretched out upon the fresh green grass and lay looking up at the sky. Gradually they found themselves growing sleepy, and eventually drifted off to sleep.

Anna stood face to face with Kamek. He had changed since she had left, though it was nothing physical. He seemed more worn, and wearier, and the usually displayed lack of emotion was not as complete. Anna thought he looked slightly worried.

"Are you certain?" He asked her.

"Positive, sir." She answered, but her voice was not her own. "As we speak."

"And she wants both of them?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you know why?"

Anna felt herself hesitate. "She is angry that the Princess escaped before." She said at last.

"Exactly." Kamek replied.

"Then I should hurry." Anna said.

Kamek did not reply. He simply turned and left the room.

Anna turned and followed the Magikoopa out the door. She walked quickly through the halls of Koopa Castle, stealing through the shadows. She ducked into a room to avoid detection, and came face to face with a mirror.

She would have screamed if she had been able to. The reflection was that of a yellow-shelled Ninjakoopa.

"Anna?" Peach was shaking the Magikoopa gently. "Are you all right?"

Anna started awake. "What?" She seemed confused, which worried Peach.

"Are you okay?" Peach asked. "You were screaming. I think we both dozed off."

Anna sighed. "Just another dream."

Peach tensed. "About Kamek?" Anna nodded. "Last time you dreamt about him we ended up baby-sitting one of Bowser's children and he nearly roasted us for it." She was silent for a moment. "Do you think it's a warning?"

Anna shrugged. "Maybe." She frowned. "I just don't understand why this keeps happening. I never had any ability as a seer at all. This shouldn't be happening."

Peach frowned. "I don't know what to tell you. Maybe we should head back."

"Maybe." Said Anna.

The two quickly packed their things and headed back towards the castle.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the wonderful world of Nintendo, video games, or the Mario universe.

**Chapter Two**

"So you can transform yourself?" Peach asked as they walked, mainly to distract herself from thoughts of Bowser jumping out from behind the bushes to grab her and carry her away.

Anna nodded. "Yes, but only certain things. I can only do a human, a rock, a butterfly, and a fish."

"And the human looks like me?" Peach asked.

"Sort of. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Anyone who didn't know you well might be fooled." Anna was silent for a moment. "Would you like to see?" She asked shyly.

"Sure." Said Peach. She had been a bit curious about magic since she had met Anna, but the Magikoopa seemed to do quite well in life without making much use of it.

"Here goes!" Anna closed her eyes, and **pop!** the magikoopa was gone. In her place stood a girl about Peach's height, with golden hair and bright blue eyes. The robes had gone from Anna's usual white to a light orange color. "What do you think?" Anna asked.

"I'm impressed." Said Peach. "Is it hard to do?" She asked.

"Well, Kamek always said if you're going to learn a spell, you should learn to do it well, and with little effort. That's how I learned magic."

"So this is easy then?"

"Pretty much." They walked on, Anna still in human from.

"Stop!" Someone commanded. From the bushes came an assortment of what could only be Bowser's minions. Two sledge brothers, three koopas (two red-shelled and on blue), a goomba, and a bob-omb.

"You're coming with us, you two." One of the koopas spoke.

"Yeah," said one of the sledge brothers, "Princess and-Princess?" He looked at the two of them in confusion. "What the?"

"One's the Magikoopa, remember?" Said the other sledge brother. "She's in disguise."

"Kammy wants both anyway." Said the goomba.

"Tie them up so they can't escape!" Ordered the blue-shelled koopa.

Peach and Anna were quickly bound, and marched away by the odd group.

_Great, _thought Peach grimly, _not again. And this time Anna's been dragged into it as well._ Anna seemed only slightly worried though, Peach noted.

"How do we tell which is which?" One of the red-shelled koopas asked.

"Starve them." Grunted one of the sledge brothers. "The Magikoopa will drop her illusion."

"Eventually." Added the other. "In the mean time, watch to see if one acts improperly for a princess."

"Right." Said the goomba.

The group marched for hours and hours before finally stopping to rest. Then they had dinner, a stew that smelled wonderful to Anna and Peach, who were very hungry from their long march.

Nobody offered them any food.

"Anna?" Peach asked as their captors finished eating and drifted off to sleep.

"What?"

"Will that work? I mean you dropping your illusion?"

"Not that easily." Anna replied with a yawn. "Like I said, Kamek made sure I could do the spells I knew at a moment's notice, and made certain I could hold them."

"Oh, okay." Peach lay awake deep into the night, staring at the stars, and wishing Bowser would just leave her alone.

At long last, she drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Peach was roughly shaken awake the next morning. "Get up!" Ordered one of the sledge brothers. She staggered to her feet. Anna was already awake. "Get moving!" The sledge brother barked.

Peach began walking, yawning as she did. She looked at Anna, who was not yet completely awake yet and yawning as well. They marched for several hours, stopping only when the sun was directly over head.

Something seemed different about their group of captors, but Peach could not figure out exactly what it was until she and Anna were sitting apart from the group of minions who were eating a hearty lunch.

"There's an extra one." Peach realized suddenly.

"An extra what?" Anna asked grumpily.

"Koopa. Look." She pointed. "Yesterday there were two sledge brothers, three koopas, one goomba, and one bob-omb. Two of the koopas had red shells, and the other had a blue shell."

"And?" Anna didn't seem impressed.

"And look. Now there's that one with the yellow shell." Peach pointed.

"Yeah?" Anna said. "Well, he's coming this way."

Indeed he was. He carried with him a bundle that he handed to Anna. Then he spoke. "Now Look, I don't know which of you is which." He spoke slowly and quietly. "And neither do they. All of us are trying to find out, but for different reasons. Which is why we are heading back the long way. They don't want to show up and have to admit they don't know which of you is which."

"But why does it matter?" Anna asked.

"Because one of you was supposed to be captured, by order of King Koopa. The other's capture was Kammy's work."

"Kammy wants to capture-" The koopa silenced her.

"It would be good for you not to mention names." He said grimly.

"So why are you here?" Peach asked. "You weren't here yesterday."

"I am here to watch you." He answered. "And help Anna escape." He added.

"Well then, why would it be bad for-"

The koopa interrupted Peach. "It wouldn't be a bad thing for me to know which she is. For her. The Princess would still be here."

"But if you can't tell which of us is which, then both of us will stay captured." Anna said.

"Anna is not to reach Koopa Castle." The koopa said.

Suddenly Peach understood. This was an ally- of sorts. He was saying that he was here to rescue Anna, but if he couldn't figure out which one she was, he would simply take them both. "Thanks for the food." She said, hoping Anna would not pursue the conversation.

She didn't. "Yeah, I thought you guys were trying to starve us."

The koopa shrugged. "No point in that. I know Kamek teaches better than that."

"Oh!" Anna said softly to herself.

"What?" Peach asked. Anna simply shook her head.

"If you will excuse me." The koopa said. "I would hate to attract attention." He slipped away from them.

"What?" Peach again, after he was out of hearing distance.

"I just realized, he's the ninjakoopa from my dream." Anna said. "Kamek sent him."

"To rescue you?" Peach asked.

Anna shrugged. "We are related, but I don't know if that would make any difference. It's probably more to mess with Kammy's plans than for my sake."

"You really think so?" Peach asked. It was sad to think that family meant nothing to Anna and her relatives.

"Probably. Either way works, as long as I don't have to face the wrath of Kammy." Anna said with a shudder.

"Is it hard?" Peach asked.

"What?" Anna asked a little too quickly.

"That they're related to you, and each other, and it means nothing to them." Peach explained.

Anna shrugged. "Well, see I didn't really know I was related to either of them until mom asked Kamek to take me on as his student. He didn't want to until she said something about him owing her that at least. And then I didn't find out about Kammy being my aunt until about a year or so later, when I got caught in one of their nastier arguments." She sighed. "I mean, I don't really think of them as family either, Kammy was just someone to avoid, and Kamek, well, Kamek was my teacher, not really anything more. I mean, our relationship was no different from his relationship with any of the other people he worked closely with." Anna was silent for a moment. "Sometimes though, it's hard to know that they are brother and sister, and grew up together, and hate each other as much as they do."

The lunch break was soon over, and they were soon on the road once again. Peach was exhausted. They had been marching since yesterday afternoon with little rest, and Peach was simply not used to it. Judging by Anna's weary expression, she wasn't used to walking this much either.

A voice from behind made Peach jump. "There is a village a day's walk from here." He said. "By tonight we will be camping near the path leading to it."

"Why are you telling me this?" Peach asked.

"I am instructed to help Anna escape," he said, "not rescue you both and escort you personally back to your castle."

"You speak as if you know which I am." Said Peach nervously. "Are you sure?"

"I have my suspicions, and the parts of your conversations I have overheard are not helping to dispel them." He said grimly. "You two would be wise to be more cautious."

"How is Kamek?" Peach asked, hoping to startle him into a change of topic. He was almost certain she was herself, but perhaps she could do something about that.

"What?" He asked sharply. Then, "Why would you care?"

Peach smiled sweetly. "He may or may not have been my teacher for a time." She said. "And he may or may not have kept me safe from Kammy last time I was captured."

He looked thoughtful. Then he shrugged. "Kamek is," he paused, thinking, "Kamek. There is no telling how he is personally. But you should know that if you are Anna."

"In which case I would be inquiring as to other areas." Peach replied.

The koopa grinned. It was not a comforting sign. "Clever, aren't you?" The grin vanished as he continued. "Kamek is rapidly losing power in King Koopa's Castle. Kammy has slowly been turning King Koopa against him for years, and it is getting alarming, at least for those who have sided with Kamek rather than her in their war."

He walked in silence for a while, deep in thought. "But Kamek won the last battle. You saw that, the deal with the koopaling."

"I didn't quite understand all of it." Peach admitted.

"Kamek has been in charge of the koopalings as long as they have been alive. Kammy convinced King Koopa he was incompetent in that area, so he put her in charge of it. Then Iggy goes and disappears and turns up days later at your castle."

"And Kammy said Kamek was involved."

"And Iggy said he was lost." Said the koopa. "And Bowser will believe his own children over either of those two any day of the week."

"So, Iggy was lying for Kamek?"

"Not if he actually didn't know where he was when he was found by you."

"Found by the Princess." Peach corrected. "Whom I may or may not be." A thought occurred to Peach. "Are the koopalings on either side?"

"Kamek or Kammy's?" The koopa frowned. "I believe, though one cannot be certain, that Iggy, Lemmy, and Ludwig are on Kamek's 'side,' so to speak, and Wendy, Morton, and Roy are on Kammy's side."

"That's only six." Anna pointed out.

"Yes, well, Larry is wishy-washy, he doesn't stay on either side, and sometimes he's mad at both of them."

"Is that safe?" Peach beat Anna to the question.

"As long as he's Bowser's kid, it's safe." Said the koopa. "At least, safe from the two Magikoopas. Whether his siblings decide to do something about it or not is yet to be seen. Of course, I don't think any of them really take it seriously. Except possibly Iggy, but he's still young."

"They all are." Said Anna. "Why would they take it seriously?" The koopa threw her a warning glance.

"It's a fair question." Peach pointed out. "I was thinking the same thing."

"At any rate," said the koopa. "be ready tonight, Anna." He did not look at either of them as he spoke. Then he slipped away again.

"We'll both be ready." Anna said softly. Peach nodded.

They walked on in silence, marching along with their captors. They walked through the afternoon and into the evening, not stopping until the last light of the setting sun was fading away.

"We'll camp here!" Growled the sledge brother who seemed to be in charge. Everyone threw down their stuff and, after a quick meal, settled down for the night.

Peach and Anna lay quiet in the darkness, waiting. They listened as their captors slowly drifted off to sleep, one by one.

Finally, a figure leaned over them. He silently untied them, and motioned for them to follow them. He led them into the trees. They walked in silence for quite some time.

They stopped suddenly. And the koopa knelt down. "Here, look." He said. "This is the trail to the village. Follow it closely, quickly, and quietly. Go now."

"Thank you." Said Peach.

"Yes, thank you." Anna agreed.

"No need for that." He said gruffly. "I work for Kamek. You know what that means." He said to Anna.

"I do?" She said "Should I?"

He laughed. "Fine. Now, go." He turned and walked off into the night.

"What does it mean to work for Kamek?" Asked Peach.

"It means that you do what you're told. And, in this case, what he wants you to do but doesn't come out and say,"

"What's the difference?"

"If you get caught, he never told you to do it, you were acting independently, and he will deal with you later." Anna said. "If the stakes are high, he doesn't need to be incriminated."

"So it's for public display."

"Exactly." The Magikoopa nodded. "For the greater good. Better for you to take the rap than him. And he takes responsibility for 'taking care of you,' except for the rare occasion when Kammy catches on to what he's doing, which isn't very often."

"What happens then?"

Anna didn't answer, instead turning to follow the trail. Peach followed her, and the two walked on in silence.

The exhaustion from the day seemed to have disappeared with her release, and Peach found the strength to walk on through the night.

They stopped after some time, at the edge of the trees. A village lay quiet in a clearing, surrounded by the forest. The moonlight shone down peacefully onto the village.

"Will we be safe here?" Peach asked. "How will we get home?"

"We will be safe here." Said Anna simply. "But we cannot enter until morning."

"Why not?"

"It is protected." Ann pointed to the ground. A deep line had been cut in the dirt. Peach guessed that it went around the edge of the trees. "No one enters by night."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The two escapees prepared to spend the remainder of the night outside. The found a relatively sheltered spot not far from the path in which to wait.

"We should probably keep a watch." Anna said softly as they settled down to rest. "If those guys notice we're gone they might come looking for us."

Peach nodded, realizing that was probably why Anna had not yet dropped her disguise as a human. "Good idea. Any idea how long it will be till morning?"

Anna looked up at the night sky. "Around six hours, more or less. I'll take the first watch and wake you up in three hours."

"Right." Peach agreed. She leaned back against the trunk of tree, not caring about the dirt or the roughness of the bark or the hardness of the ground. She was too tired.

Too tired to sleep as well, it seemed. Peach lay there in the night staring at the sky, trying to sleep. The sky was clear, and dark, the stars shone out, hundreds of them, many more than Peach had ever seen at Mushroom Castle. It was a beautiful sight, really. Peach sighed.

The dark shadow that was Anna was instantly by her side. "Are you okay?" She asked in a whisper.

"Yes." Peach nodded, and Anna breathed her own sigh, this one of relief. Peach smiled. "Sorry to worry you, Anna. I was just thinking about how beautiful the sky was."

Anna turned her gaze upward, and studied the sky in silence. "It _is_ beautiful." She said at last. "There's a hill, north of the village. If you go up there at night you can see more. There are stars everywhere. And on clear nights like this, if you look deep enough, you can see the beginning of Star Road off in the distance. Occasionally you'll see a wish falling to earth. Mom and I used to sit and stare at the sky for hours sometimes."

"Your mom?" Peach asked.

Anna shook herself from her thoughts. "This is a magikoopa village, one of the few. I grew up here."

"Really?" Peach asked. "How far is it from the Castle? In fact, where is it? Where are we?"

Anna thought for a moment. "You know the hills between Koopaland and Mushroomland?"

"No man's land?"

Anna nodded. "The hills are where the magikoopa dwell. Where they have since the war. They hide there, far from all those who would cause them trouble, and mostly keep to themselves. Some leave to serve Bowser, but most stay in their villages."

"How many villages are there?"

"Five that I am aware of. I'm sure there are a few smaller groupings of Magikoopa here and there, though."

"Oh." Peach said. Then a thought occurred to her. "Do you think that ninjakoopa knew your Mom lived here and that's why he waited till then to help us escape?"

Anna shrugged. "I know Kamek knows. He may have informed the ninjakoopa. It's hard to know for certain, though, exactly how much Kamek puts into these things. There are things he could have done and did, things he could have done and didn't, things he shouldn't have done and did anyway, and so forth. And he'll never admit to anything more than he feels necessary."

They sat in silence for a while. "So what's your mom like?" Peach asked after a bit.

"Well, like Kamek and Kammy, she has a dangerous temper, but doesn't lose it as easily as Kammy does. But of course, she's not as patient as Kamek. She's a lot nicer than they are, though."

"Does she get along with either of them?" Peach asked.

Anna shook her head. "She and Kammy have fought since they were children, and she and Kamek haven't spoken since he left."

"Left?" Peach asked.

"Left the village." Was the only explanation Anna would give.

"So they grew up here as well." Peach thought aloud.

"Right." Anna agreed. "Mom says she and Kamek used to wander these woods for hours at a time. That's how she knew to tell me about the night-ward. They were always getting stuck outside all night." She chuckled softly, apparently finding the thought of Kamek stuck outside the village at night as a child amusing. "Shouldn't you be getting some rest, Peach?" Anna asked at last.

Peach nodded, and laid back against the tree.

She must have fallen asleep, because when she started awake it was morning, and several magikoopa were watching her.

"Anna?" Peach looked around for her friend, and was relieved to see her sitting close by, still in human form, talking softly to another magikoopa. She looked up as her name was called.

"Forgive me, Peach." Anna said hurriedly as she joined her. "I must have dozed off last night during my watch."

Peach smiled nervously. "It's okay, Anna. What's going on?"

Anna looked around. "They sensed our arrival last night, and came to see why we were here this morning. They did not wish to awaken us, and so waited for us to wake on our own."

"That was nice of them." Peach replied.

"I told them we were lost, and trying to get back to Mushroom Castle. They have offered to let us rest here for today and continue on our journey tomorrow with a guide." She lowered her voice. "They don't know who we are. I told them your name was Peach and mine was Anna, but they don't know you're the Princess or that I'm a magikoopa."

Peach nodded, thinking it wasn't really necessary for them to know that, or that they had just escaped an attempted kidnapping by Bowser.

One of the magikoopa stepped forward to approach them. "If you two are ready, we will head back to the village." He spoke clearly, but his tone of voice was soft. He wore robes of red.

"Yes, thank you." Said Peach. She and Anna followed the Magikoopa to the village.

Peach had never seen a village of Magikoopa before. The houses were small and simple, and seemed to be made of wood with thatched roofs. The streets were dirt, and led through the village and up to the door of each house. There were lots of trees, and the yards usually held flower and herb gardens. It seemed a lovely place.

Magikoopa children played in the yards and the streets, but always seemed to stay out of the way of those traveling the streets. They ran back and forth, playing and chattering happily in some language Peach could not understand. The children wore robes of brown, and like the adults, thick glasses.

They stopped to watch as Peach and Anna passed by. Apparently they were not used to seeing humans in their village. They didn't seem afraid of them, though, simply curious.

They were taken to a larger building in the center of the village. "This is where we have our meetings when the occasion arises." The magikoopa leading them explained.

"We also have breakfasts and dinners here sometimes too." Added a magikoopa robed in green as she approached them. "Welcome to our village." To the other magikoopa she said. "These are they that came to us last night?"

"Ah, yes." Replied the other. "They are from the Mushroom Land.

"Then they are a long way from home." Noted the first. "I trust they will be needing rest and a guide back to their home?"

"I was hoping you might be able to help with that." Came the reply.

"Of course, Kanri." She said. "They will have food, and rest, and we shall see about one of the well-traveled magikoopa taking them home tomorrow. For now, though, perhaps we should see that they are not injured."

"Yes, of course." Kanri replied. "I had overlooked that. My apologies." He said to Peach and Anna before turning his attention back to his fellow magikoopa. "Perhaps Karina would have a look at them."

"I will see." She replied.

"Well, then, I leave them in your capable hands." Kanri said. "If you will excuse me." He bowed and left the two in the hands of the magikoopa.

She smiled. "I am Vivian." She explained. "Karina would be a healer, and I'm sure she would have no problem with seeing if you two need anything."

Anna looked nervous, and Peach said. "Well, we aren't actually hurt, just kind of hungry and a bit dirty. I don't think we really need to bother a healer."

"If you are sure, though it would be no trouble." Vivian said. "Then why don't we let you two bathe and get some clean clothes, and then we'll see about some breakfast. How does that sound?"

"Very good, thank you." Peach said. She hadn't washed since the morning before their capture, and was feeling a bit gross as a result.

An hour later, clean and dressed in brown robes that some magikoopa had offered the visitors (their own clothes being torn and filthy and pronounced unsalvageable by Vivian), the two sat down to breakfast with Vivian.

There was water to drink and fruits and some kind of honey bread to eat, served upon wooden vessels. It was delicious, Peach thought, despite its simplicity. Maybe simplicity wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

They had just finished eating and were just getting up from the table when a child magikoopa came rushing in. He approached Vivian hastily, bowed ever so slightly, and then began to chatter rapidly in the language the children had been speaking outside earlier.

Anna listened as the child chattered and as Vivian gave a quick reply in the same language.

"What is that they're speaking?" Peach asked quietly.

"Our language. The speech of the magikoopa." Anna replied softly, still trying to hear what was being said.

"What are they saying?"

"I think-" Anna began to answer but was cut off as Vivian finished speaking with the child and approached them.

"I must ask you to come with me, please." She sounded worried.

"What is it?" Peach asked.

"Someone is here, and they seem to think they are looking for you." Vivian replied grimly. "Come."

One of Bowser's minions, Peach thought as they followed the magikoopa outside.

She was right, but it was not quite who she expected.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Kammy was speaking with a group of magikoopa. She seemed quite angry, but also seemed to be trying to keep a check on her temper.

"That's the council of magikoopa." Anna hissed beside Peach. "This can't be good."

Kammy saw them, and her eyes widened in surprise, probably at the fact that both seemed to be human. She pointed in their direction. "I have come for them. They are run-aways from Koopa Castle."

Vivian regarded her coolly. "They say they are inhabitants of Mushroom Land."

"Then they are lying."

"Why should they lie to us?" Asked one of the council. "There is no reason for deception."

"They lie because they are hiding."

"Can you prove this?" Asked Vivian sharply.

"One of them is a magikoopa. They lie about that as well." Kammy said.

This caused a bit of an uproar. "Why would one of our own deceive us?" Asked another council member.

"Ask her." Kammy retorted.

They turned to stare at the two visitors. Peach swallowed nervously, her heart pounding.

"Which one?" Asked the council member. "Which one is disguised as a human?"

Peach almost laughed when she realized Kammy didn't know either. She stood staring at them, a scowl on her face, uncertain of who was who.

Vivian turned to face them. "Drop your disguise." She said.

Peach shook her head. "We won't."

Anna nodded in agreement.

Out of nowhere, another magikoopa appeared. Peach gulped when she realized it was Kamek. He stood perfectly still, his hands clasped in front of him, his robes rustling slightly from what might have been a breeze from wherever he had come. He waited for Kammy to realize he was behind her.

"You!" Kammy wheeled around to face him. "You did this!"

"What?" He asked innocently, though Peach thought she heard irritation in his voice.

"Helped them escape!"

"Me?" Kamek asked. "I am far too busy to concern myself with two humans."

"These **two humans** are none other than Princess Toadstool and your apprentice. You let them escape."

"I am curious to hear how I did this." Kamek replied.

Kammy glared at him for a moment, then turned her attention back to Peach and Anna. "You!" She snapped, pointing at Anna.

"M-me?" Anna replied nervously.

"Yes, you. How did you two escape?"

Anna was silent, staring at the ground. Peach could see she was shaking.

"Yes," spoke Kamek quietly, "how did you escape, Anna?"

Anna looked up at Kamek in shock. She took a deep breath, then answered -him, not her. "A yellow ninjakoopa said he had come to rescue me, but would take us both if he didn't know which one of us was which." As she spoke, she had dropped her disguise.

"A yellow ninjakoopa?" Kammy asked. "Who commands a yellow ninjakoopa, Kamek? You did help them escape. King Koopa will be most displeased."

"If one of my subordinates chose to interfere in the plans of King Koopa, it was not by my order, Kammy, and I will deal with him later."

"And what about her?" Kammy shrieked, pointing at Anna. "She is a traitor, Kamek! Unless she was acting under your orders!"

Peach wondered briefly if it were possible that Anna had allowed her to escape under orders. She hoped not. But if she had been acting of her own free will, then that meant she _was_ a traitor of sorts.

Vivian spoke. "Was she following your orders, Kamek? Or acting against them?"

Anna went pale, and Peach wondered what it was that Vivian had said to worry her so.

Kamek was silent.

"She was following orders, wasn't she, Kamek?" Kammy shrieked. "You told her to help the princess escape!"

Vivian spoke again. "You would be wise to let the council handle this, Kammy." There was a note of warning in her voice. "We will not stand by silently while you two continue arguing."

Kanri spoke up. Peach started, for she had not realized that he was there. "The two you have come for, Kammy, are welcome visitors to our village. Therefore, the council will decide what is to be done with them."

He turned to face Kamek. "Did you or did you not order this magikoopa to assist this human in escaping Koopa Castle?"

Kamek glanced briefly at Anna. "I did not."

"Then she was acting of her own free will?"

"Yes." Kamek nodded sharply.

"What _were_ your orders concerning the human?"

"She was to guard the Princess in her quarters."

"The Princess was to stay in her quarters, then?"

"Yes."

"And she was to guard the Princess?"

"Yes."

"Then she went directly against your orders." This last was not actually a question.

"Yes." Kamek said.

Kanri turned to Peach. "You are the Princess Toadstool?" He asked.

"Yes, sir." Peach replied.

"At this time, you were being held in a room?"

Peach nodded.

"And this magikoopa," he gestured toward Anna, "was there to keep an eye on you."

Peach nodded again.

"And she helped you escape?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any reason to believe she was acting under _anyone's_ orders?"

"No." Peach said, staring at the ground.

He turned to Anna. "What is your name?"

"Anna, sir." Her voice was calm this time.

"You were in Kamek's service?"

"Yes, sir. I was studying magic under his instruction."

"And as his student, did you not swear your loyalty to him?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you assisted the Princess Toadstool in escaping, in spite of the fact that you were under orders to guard her?"

"Yes."

"The council will decide what is to be done." Kanri said at last. "In the meantime-"

"In the meantime," interrupted a magikoopa robed in white, "if it please the council, they shall rest at my house, for it must be wearisome for those unaccustomed to such goings on to stand and listen to this debate all day."

"You open up your home to these strangers? All of them?" Kanri asked.

"If it please the council, they will be safe there until a decision regarding Anna and the Princess Toadstool has been reached."

"Are you confident these two" he motioned towards Kamek and Kammy "will not cause trouble?"

A wicked grin crossed the magikoopa's features. "You have my word, Kanri."

"Very well, then."

This new magikoopa looked them all over. "This way, then." She said sternly, and led them down the street to a house on the outskirts of the village.

"Aren't they worried about anyone escaping?" Peach asked Anna in a whisper.

Anna shook her head. "It would not be a good idea."

The magikoopa led them inside. As they entered the house, she called out, "Malachi! We have guests! Set out four more places at the table."

A green robed magikoopa entered the living room. "Ah!" He exclaimed. "Family and friends are always welcome, even when bringing trouble with them." He turned to Anna. "Good to see you again, my daughter."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Peach stood in shocked silence as Anna bowed to the older magikoopa. "And you, my father." She turned towards the other. "My mother." She bowed again.

"There is no need for such formality here and now, my daughter." Said Anna's father. He hugged her briefly. "How I have missed you!"

"And I you." Anna replied.

Malachi turned towards Peach. "And this must be the Princess Toadstool. Welcome to our home." He said with a slight bow. He turned to acknowledge Kammy and Kamek, who stood by the door. "Kamek. Kammy." His greeting lacked the warmth it had held previously. "Dinner is ready." He said to his wife. "I did manage not to burn it as you left, Karina."

She smiled woodenly. "Good. Shall we eat?"

And they did eat, and they talked. At least, Malachi and Karina and Anna talked, and Peach was gradually drawn into the conversation, but Kammy and Kamek ate in silence, and the others did not try to engage them in conversation.

Kamek sat beside Karina, as silent and seemingly unruffled as ever, as if this present situation were nothing with which he should be concerned.

Kammy, on the other hand, glared at her plate, fuming. Obviously things had not gone according to plan for her. Apparently, though, she would not try anything here.

There was no sense of family amongst the three. They might as well have been complete strangers caught in some disagreement, who had never seen each other before.

Anna seemed worried, Peach noted, and understandably so. Peach wasn't sure of much, but she was pretty certain that being tried by the magikoopa council was no laughing matter. She picked at her food, and tried to enjoy being with her parents as she answered questions about what she had been up to.

Malachi, Anna's father, did not seem particularly concerned. He was cheerful, and made every effort to make Peach feel at home. Peach was annoyed with him until she realized that Anna had gotten her tendency to act as if nothing were wrong if she couldn't do a thing about it from him.

Peach turned to study Karina, Anna's mother. There was a calm there, but also worry. And almost completely hidden was a fierce passion to protect those she cared about, and this deal with the council had her upset. How she felt about Kamek and Kammy sitting at the dinner table, though, was more than Peach could see.

Dinner ended soon enough, and after they had cleared the table, Karina took care of sleeping arrangements. Peach and Anna would have Anna's old room, and Kammy would have the guest room. If Kamek noticed he was being ignored, he gave no indication of it.

Peach followed Anna down the hall and into a delightful room filled with mostly books. It was bright and cheerful, much like the magikoopa herself, and Peach felt rather at home here. There was a dresser in one corner, and a bunkbed in the opposite.

"Anna?" Peach asked as they settled into bed.

"Hmmm?" Anna areplied distractedly.

"What's going to happen tomorrow?"

Anna sighed. "I don't know. If Kammy gets her way we'll both be dragged back to Koopa Castle. Who knows what Kamek's after."

"Will that actually happen?" Peach asked, frightened.

Anna smiled. "You aren't bound by our laws, Princess. Nor are you King Koopa's property. The council will not allow them to have you."

"What about you?" Peach worried.

"I don't know."

Peach lay awake for a long time after her friend had gone to sleep, worrying. What would happen to Anna? She had said Peach wasn't bound to the laws of the magikoopa, but was Anna? Would Kammy get her way? What did Kamek want?

She gradually became aware of voices coming from the kitchen. Two people were talking, and one of them sounded angry.

Peach slipped out of bed, and crept down the hallway, stopping just out of sight.

"I won't do it." That was Karina, and by the sound of things, she was furious. "Not to her. You can't ask that of me."

"No." Came the reply, and Peach was certain it was Kamek. "I cannot. For various reasons. But you know what needs to be done."

"Do you have any idea what that would do to her?" Karina hissed. "Do you even care?"

Kamek was silent.

"You don't care. Not for her. Not for anyone. You're doing this to protect yourself. Your position. If Anna gets dragged back there it could screw up everything for you, couldn't it? And if you actually did try to help her, it would put you in a position where you were challenging Bowser. But you won't do that, will you? So instead you expect me to- to- to do _that_. Well, I'm not your pawn, Kamek. And neither is my daughter."

"I cannot go against the entire council, whatever they decide." Kamek said at last.

"Not this time!" Snapped Karina. "Not if it doesn't suit your purposes. Not if you don't benefit from it!"

"I have done what I can, Karina. What becomes of your daughter is up to you." He said, his voice uncharacteristically cold and harsh.

"You've done what you will. It's not the same thing, and you know it." Karina retorted. "I knew from the start I didn't like Kammy. I didn't know until now that I didn't like you either."

Silence reigned, and Peach crept back to bed, even more worried than she had been before.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Peach blinked wearily as a knock sounded on the bedroom door. She hadn't slept a wink, worrying about this council and what would happen to them.

Anna groaned and rolled out of the top bunk almost mechanically, swinging herself around to land upright.

"We're up!" She called groggily to the door.

"Are you sure?" Malachi sounded far too cheerful this close to dawn.

"Yeah!" Anna responded. She must _not_ have been awake, Peach thought, using slang like that.

Peach yawned and got out of bed, feeling stiff and not at all refreshed. "Morning." She said sleepily.

"Glah." Anna replied.

An hour later they were showered, dressed, fed breakfast, and heading for the council meeting to hear the decision.

The group of magikoopa from yesterday were seated in a circle, save for six empty chairs. Peach quickly discovered they were meant for them, and they were seated.

Malachi and Anna were tense, and Karina was brooding. Kammy was still furious, and Kamek was-

Was he actually resorting to so obvious an expression as scowling? Peach blinked in surprise, and the next minute his face was impassive as ever.

It took a while for them to get started what with people being so formal and Kanri addressing each member of the council by name-

Or each person here, Peach realized as he bowed and identified her as the Princess Toadstool of Mushroom Kingdom daughter of the King Toadstool.

And MalachiaMelchizedekaMalchi, Anna's father.

And KarinaMoreaMindoleth.

And AnnaaKarinaaMore.

And KamaraaMoreaMindoleth.

And Kamek.

Why was he named differently? Peach barely had time to wonder before another magikoopa spoke.

"Princess Toadstool of Mushroom Kingdom. Rise." Peach stood, wondering what would happen next. "You are an inhabitant of the Mushroom Kingdom. As such, there is no claim outside of the Mushroom Kingdom that may be laid on you. As promised, you will be guided back home by one of our people."

"And-" Peach started to ask about Anna, but was cut off.

"Anna. Rise." Peach sat as her friend stood.

"The council has found that when you did swear loyalty to Kamek, you swore loyalty to him and to him only. As such, you are not under the jurisdiction of Koopa Castle. However, you have gone back upon your sacred oath and-"

"Wait!" Karina interrupted the magikoopa. "Sir, this is, or should be a family matter. A contract was made between those connected by blood and by none other. I ask that it be dealt with as such."

There was some murmuring, and Peach tried to work out exactly what that meant.

Finally Kanri spoke. "The council will see it done. Malachi."

"Sir?"

"You were not involved in this?"

"No, sir."

"Kammy."

"Sir?" She replied sulkily.

"You also were not involved." It was not a question.

"No."

"This is between Anna and her mother and her uncle, then. Kamek."

"Yes?" Kanri was annoyed.

"She has broken an oath of loyalty to you. What does the law demand?" Peach realized Anna had gone terribly pale.

Kamek glanced idly in her direction. "She will not return to me. She is a traitor who has no respect for her mentor's teachings." He said the words with a note of finality.

"Karina."

"Yes, sir."

"She has shamed you, and made you party to this act. What does the law demand?" As expressionless as Kamek, she turned to face her daughter.

"She is no longer a daughter of mine." She said coldly. "She will leave the village immediately. Perhaps the Princess will take her."

Anna stood silent and still. Then she bowed her head. "So be it." She said. She turned to leave.

Peach followed her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"I've been disowned." Anna explained angrily. "Cast out. And humiliated. And I know Kamek put her up to it."

Peach remembered the conversation last night, but didn't think it wise to mention.

"I suppose it could have been worse." She muttered. "I didn't think he would actually stoop to something like that. Some family. Self-serving, self righteous, two-faced…" She trailed off as they reached the castle.

Peach was relieved she was talking again. The whole trip back had been absolutely silent, Anna fuming, angry enough to make Kammy on a bad day look tranquil.

"I suppose I should have expected as much." She said at last. "Anyway, at least we made it back. Toad's probably worried sick."

Peach was surprised by this sudden change in demeanor, but decided to let it go. Well, except for-

"Sorry."

Anna shook her head. "Not your fault. I had it coming anyway. And besides, it's not like I planned to go back, really. This is my home now."

"Right."


End file.
